SENATOR Mark Villar has filed a measure that seeks to include Social Awareness and Social Responsibilities in the senior high school curriculum.

Senate Bill 1909 or the proposed Gabay sa Buhay Act mandates the Department of Education to develop and implement a comprehensive employment readiness program through a 16-hour seminar for those in senior high school.

The program will cover various topics such as employment laws and regulations, tax laws, benefits and compensation, financial management, and employee responsibilities and obligations.

Villar said that despite the objective of the K to 12 program, SHS graduates find it difficult to transition from schooling to employment for lack of information relative to their responsibilities and obligations as part of the workforce.

“More often than not, young professionals suffer frustrations upon gaining employment since their new experience does not meet their expectations when they were still students,” Villar said in his explanatory note.

The senator cited a survey conducted among young professionals aged 18 to 25 which found that graduates usually are unfamiliar of the realities of pre-employment protocols and other social responsibilities, thus they have the tendency to frequently transfer from one employment to another.

“With the increasing demand for a well-informed and skilled workforce, it is imperative that students receive the necessary education to transition from school to workforce smoothly,” the senator said.